Fortunate adults build the lives they dream of as children, so giving kids
the opportunity to play, invent, imagine and socialise goes to the heart
of what makes a healthy society. A new venture in the US extends this
opportunity to children with disabilities and it’s a game changer
By Liz Terry | Published in Attractions Management 2017 issue 3
A few years back we were privileged to interview entrepreneur Gordon Hartman about the inclusive theme park he’d built for his daughter, Morgan, who has cognitive delay. The park was designed so that children of all abilities could play side by side and families supporting a child with a disability could play together (Attractions Management Q4 2012, page 30).
Morgan’s Wonderland, in San Antonia, Texas, is now seven years old and going from strength to strength and in this issue, we report on a second gate which has just been opened by Hartman in the form of a waterpark called Morgan’s Inspiration Island (page 76).
As with the original theme park, he turned to users to develop both the concepts and the features for the new attraction, saying: “We spoke to people in the community – people with special needs, people without, care givers, teachers, doctors, therapists – and pooled our ideas.”
The team then collaborated with industry experts to deliver and install a range of specially adapted water experiences. The waterpark is completely wheelchair accessible.
The development team worked with the University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and others to create a wheelchair that runs on compressed air, without batteries, so that users can retain their independence while enjoying the waterpark. Waterproof wheelchairs are also available.
Watersprays were adapted to enable guests to control the level of force involved, for times where an intense spray would cause distress. The aim – in short – is for the waterpark to be 100 per cent accessible. “We live in a world of exclusion rather than inclusion,” says Hartman, “but we hope talking more about inclusion will help change that conversation.”
The wonderful story of Morgan’s Wonderland and Inspiration Island needs to be shared, so the expertise gained by the team who worked on both projects can be deployed widely across the industry as we strive to become more inclusive.
The fact that the US – one of the most prosperous countries in the world – has only this small number of fully adapted facilities is an indication of the scale of the challenge which lies ahead.
There are no official statistics for the number of children in the world with a disability, but Unicef estimates it to be at least 93 million and probably a great deal more, saying: “Children with disabilities are one of the most marginalised and excluded groups in society, facing daily discrimination in the form of negative attitudes, lack of adequate policies and legislation [In many cases] they are effectively barred from realising their rights.”
We urge all operators to take this matter ever more seriously – to examine current policy, practice, investment plans, staff training and marketing – to see what more can be done to make our industry open, accessible and inclusive.
We welcome feedback about best practice in this area for our letters pages, so if you have something to share with the wider industry, please write to us and let us know and we’ll publish your story. Write to [email protected]
Read more from this issue of Attractions Management magazine
View contents of Attractions Management 2017 issue 3
Interview: Wolfgang Kiessling
We talked to Wolfgang Kiessling, who set
up a small parrot park on Tenerife in the
1970s. Today, Loro Parque and Siam Park
are some of Europe’s top attractions
Promotional feature: Sysco Productions
Sysco Productions is a world-class experience delivery
company, working for global clients in the museum and
heritage, exhibition, and sports and leisure industries
Fortunate adults build the lives they dream of as children, so giving kids
the opportunity to play, invent, imagine and socialise goes to the heart
of what makes a healthy society. A new venture in the US extends this
opportunity to children with disabilities and it’s a game changer
By Liz Terry | Published in Attractions Management 2017 issue 3
A few years back we were privileged to interview entrepreneur Gordon Hartman about the inclusive theme park he’d built for his daughter, Morgan, who has cognitive delay. The park was designed so that children of all abilities could play side by side and families supporting a child with a disability could play together (Attractions Management Q4 2012, page 30).
Morgan’s Wonderland, in San Antonia, Texas, is now seven years old and going from strength to strength and in this issue, we report on a second gate which has just been opened by Hartman in the form of a waterpark called Morgan’s Inspiration Island (page 76).
As with the original theme park, he turned to users to develop both the concepts and the features for the new attraction, saying: “We spoke to people in the community – people with special needs, people without, care givers, teachers, doctors, therapists – and pooled our ideas.”
The team then collaborated with industry experts to deliver and install a range of specially adapted water experiences. The waterpark is completely wheelchair accessible.
The development team worked with the University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and others to create a wheelchair that runs on compressed air, without batteries, so that users can retain their independence while enjoying the waterpark. Waterproof wheelchairs are also available.
Watersprays were adapted to enable guests to control the level of force involved, for times where an intense spray would cause distress. The aim – in short – is for the waterpark to be 100 per cent accessible. “We live in a world of exclusion rather than inclusion,” says Hartman, “but we hope talking more about inclusion will help change that conversation.”
The wonderful story of Morgan’s Wonderland and Inspiration Island needs to be shared, so the expertise gained by the team who worked on both projects can be deployed widely across the industry as we strive to become more inclusive.
The fact that the US – one of the most prosperous countries in the world – has only this small number of fully adapted facilities is an indication of the scale of the challenge which lies ahead.
There are no official statistics for the number of children in the world with a disability, but Unicef estimates it to be at least 93 million and probably a great deal more, saying: “Children with disabilities are one of the most marginalised and excluded groups in society, facing daily discrimination in the form of negative attitudes, lack of adequate policies and legislation [In many cases] they are effectively barred from realising their rights.”
We urge all operators to take this matter ever more seriously – to examine current policy, practice, investment plans, staff training and marketing – to see what more can be done to make our industry open, accessible and inclusive.
We welcome feedback about best practice in this area for our letters pages, so if you have something to share with the wider industry, please write to us and let us know and we’ll publish your story. Write to [email protected]
Read more from this issue of Attractions Management magazine
View contents of Attractions Management 2017 issue 3
Interview: Wolfgang Kiessling
We talked to Wolfgang Kiessling, who set
up a small parrot park on Tenerife in the
1970s. Today, Loro Parque and Siam Park
are some of Europe’s top attractions
Promotional feature: Sysco Productions
Sysco Productions is a world-class experience delivery
company, working for global clients in the museum and
heritage, exhibition, and sports and leisure industries
OMA has completed a major transformation of New York's New Museum, creating a larger
cultural campus that combines expanded exhibition spaces with learning, performance,
hospitality and public programming.
A US$50 million (£44.2 million, €51.2 million) transformation of Chicago's historic McCormick
Mansion has created a new destination that combines live magic, immersive theatre, dining and
private membership under one roof.
The Montana Historical Society has officially celebrated the opening of its new Montana
Heritage
Center, a US$107 million (£79 million, €92 million) destination that combines immersive
storytelling with cutting-edge audiovisual technology to bring the sta
San Antonio Zoo has reported a US$283 million economic impact for 2025, following a decade-
long transformation programme that has seen almost US$200 million invested into the Texas
attraction.
Plans for the AU$180 million redevelopment of Reef HQ Aquarium in Townsville, Australia, are
progressing, with the project set to transform the attraction into a global centre for reef
education and conservation.
Abu Dhabi-based investment firm Mubadala Capital has made a binding, fully financed
€1 billion
offer to acquire Pierre and Vacances SA, the European holiday resort operator behind the
continental European Center Parcs business.
Disney has reaffirmed its commitment to investing US$30 billion in its US parks and cruise
business by 2033, using new America250 celebrations to underline the role its attractions play
in supporting jobs, tourism and economic growth.
Expo 2030 Riyadh is being planned as a permanent visitor destination, with organisers
confirming the six-million-square-metre site will become a Global Village after the event closes.
The owner of one of Australia's best-known waterparks has acquired a major competitor,
creating a new attractions business spanning two of the country's largest visitor destinations.
The Toverland theme park in the Netherlands has announced a €98m expansion programme
that will add a resort, new attractions and staff facilities as it pursues plans to become a multi-
day destination.
+ More news
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